UK: Muslim Rapist who 'married' a 15-year-old girl in sharia law ceremony attended by her social worker is jailed alongside 7 other rape gang members

[duluxe]

A rapist who married a 15-year-old girl in a sharia law ceremony attended by her social worker has been jailed alongside seven other grooming gang members.

Raja Zulqurnean, 42, married the then-schoolgirl in Bradford, West Yorkshire in the early 2000s after she was placed into the foster care of his family, a court heard.

In May this year, Zulqurnean was found guilty of ten rapes and nine indecent assaults and sentenced to 18 years in jail.


He was also given a lifetime restraining order and Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and will remain on the sex offender register for life.

However, his sentence was increased from 18 years to 23 years after being referred to the Court of Appeal for being unduly lenient.

On Friday, a Bradford Crown Court Judge Ahmed Nadim jailed seven more of the victim's attackers after they were convicted of multiple counts of rape and sexual abused.

Prosecutors said she was groomed and sexually exploited by 18 known men in the Bradford area, but claim that figure is 'just the tip of the iceberg' as many more of her abusers have never been identified and brought to justice.

One of the girl's social workers is said to have even attended the Islamic wedding ceremony which saw the minor get married against her will.

An investigation into her abuse was launched in 2019 after the victim reported the abuse to police.

Zulqurnean, alongside Mohammed Imran Akram, 42, Mohammed Shezhad Hussain, 39, Basharat Khaliq, 45, Wajid Hussain, 42, Mohammed Naheem, 39, Nadeem Ali, 39, and Safraz Ahmed Latif, 40 combined were sentenced to 91 years behind bars.

Judge Ahmed Nadim on Friday told the convicts: 'Each of you appear before this court because you have contributed to inflicting profound and sexual harm upon a child at a time when she was between the age of 13 and 15.

'You deliberately chose to prey upon and exploit a vulnerable girl. She was neglected, unstable, and desperate for care and affection.

'Each of you in different ways weaponised her needs for your own sexual perverted gratification. It is undeniable that the systems that meant to protect [the victim] that is her parents, the social services, and the police, failed her to differing degrees.

'In evidence before me she expressed a strong distrust and animosity towards the police and the social services stating that they should be in the dock with the defendants.

'The failure of others does not absolve any one of you. It contextualises your crimes. Each of you was an active agent of her abuse.

'She was a child [that] virtually everyone described as scruffy, immature, and young for her years. You must have known her profound vulnerability was a sign of a child in crisis, and you exploited it with total disregard for her well-being.


'Her question in this courtroom, 'What was it about a neglected, hurting child that appealed to you?' shows how sick and twisted your actions were.

'The devastating and enduring impact of your conduct is your legacy. You contributed to damaging [the victim's] self-worth and thereby subjected her to decades of pain and suffering.

'Her well-being stands compromised even today.

'She has, to an extent, built a positive life for herself. It is a testament to her indomitable spirit alone - an achievement accomplished in spite of you and no thanks to you.

'The debt owed by society to [the victim] for her courage in re-living this trauma is enormous. She faced the criminal justice process to ensure her predators were brought to justice.

It is now time for you to be held personally accountable for the appalling harm you chose to cause.'

Detective Chief Inspector Vicky Greenbank said: [Her] courage and bravery has been immeasurable; she has had to wait a long time to see these convictions after all these years.

'I would like to take this opportunity to praise [the victim] for coming forward and reporting these offences to the police and for her patience while the criminal investigation has been ongoing.

'If anyone has suffered abuse or has concerns about someone who may be suffering abuse, I would urge them to come forward and speak to us. We will listen to you, investigate all reports, and ensure you have access to any help or support you need.

'I hope this sends a clear message that, regardless of how long ago abuse happened, we will pursue every avenue to get justice.'